The present invention relates generally to a bathroom safety device and specifically to a wall-mounted, shower-enclosure, support apparatus, adapted to provide, when required, enhanced protection against injury, through loss of balance, to a bather using the shower in a bathtub-shower combination unit or, alternatively, a separate shower stall.
It is common knowledge that the bathtub can be a hazardous place for all who use it and especially when it is utilized for the purpose of showering. The bathtub bottom surface, normally slippery when wet, can become even more so from a residue of soap scum, while a bathtub mat, if present, can be equally dangerous if it is worn, improperly secured to that bottom surface or also coated with soap scum. Under such circumstances, if a bather, standing in the bathtub to take a shower, should make a sudden movement to catch a falling bar of soap, tube of shampoo or wash cloth, for example, or become disoriented for any reason, a momentary loss of balance could occur, which could lead to an injury-causing fall into or out of the bathtub.
The industry has responded to that risk by offering wall-mounted grab-bars, which are expected to be grasped suddenly for support by a bather, faced with an abrupt loss of balance while standing, showering or shifting position in a bathtub. Such bars, however, generally provide protection in only one or two directions, whereas a bather, who loses balance, is liable to fall in any direction. In addition, a bather, in the act of slipping or falling, is most likely to be governed by instinct and to reach for assistance, using a "writing" or "tool" hand, which may not coincide, in all cases, with the position of the nearest grab-bar, at the time of distress. As a result, a grab-bar which could save one bather, could be useless for another in the same situation because of the orientation of that bather.
Though the grab-bar can be an effective safeguard against injury to a bather during an emergency, if the bather is facing in the "right" direction at the moment of instability and is able to seize the bar with a free hand to prevent slipping or falling, therefore, it is clear that it does not provide any help if those conditions are absent or if the bather should become disoriented and not know which way to turn for assistance. In other words, grab-bar installations generally leave, for one reason or another, a protection gap of variable extent, which can result in serious injury or even death, if not closed. That is because, aside from a rigid, tub enclosure, which might provide some assistance under certain conditions, normally, there is no other means present to prevent or break a fall into or out of the bathtub. The risk, though somewhat reduced, also exists in a separate shower stall having an outward-opening door.
Since unsteadiness or dizziness is most often associated with advanced age, the risk of a fall while showering, may be greatest among senior citizens. It is also a real threat, however, for the handicapped, for pregnant women, and for the young, in general, if the previously-cited tub conditions exist or there is a momentary loss of concentration while enjoying the pleasure of showering, if there is pre-occupation with other matters, if soap or water gets in the bather's eyes or, if excessive use of alcohol or narcotics causes disorientation or a loss of balance.
Given the limited usefulness of conventional grab-bar installations as a means of preventing, or reducing the severity of, injuries in the bathtub, therefore, there is clearly a need for a better alternative, which not only can be more effective for those purposes, under all of the circumstances likely to be encountered by a bather using the shower in a bathtub-shower combination unit or a separate shower stall, but also possesses characteristics which would make it acceptable to the average consumer, as a worthy addition to the bathroom. As far as can be determined at this time, there appears to be no evidence that prior art has provided such an alternative.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a device, which eliminates the protection gap associated with conventional grab-bar installations, by supplying, when required, protection to a showering bather in all directions within a horizontal plane.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is safe and reliable to use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is easy to operate and adjust.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is adaptable to users of varying physical height.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is useful in both the operating and storage modes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which does not interfere with the operation, or reduce the effectiveness, of a shower curtain or rigid tub enclosure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be by-passed, if desired by the bather, and not interfere with regular bathing practices, when not in use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be easily and inexpensively retrofitted to existing shower-enclosures or readily installed during new construction or a manufacturing process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which does not inhibit nor interfere with normal bathtub or shower stall cleaning procedures.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is capable of being colored in order to coordinate with existing bathroom decor.